UPSC Mains ENGLISH-LITERATURE-PAPER-I 2024

Explain with literary examples how Renaissance humanism of 16th century Europe sought to fuse scholarship with ethics.

Attempt a review of the theatrical properties of Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.

Comment on Augustan verse satire as humorous depiction of the follies of people and the contemporary society.

Trace the distinctive literary qualities of the 18th century English novel.

Comment on the use of wit and conceit in Metaphysical poetry.

How does Shakespeare complicate the sense of justice in King Lear? Explain.

Comment on John Donne's treatment of metaphysical love in his poetry.

Attempt a critical analysis of Eve's character as portrayed by Milton in Paradise Lost, Book IX.

In The Tempest, Prospero is a humanist scholar engaged in stemming the degeneration of European society. Discuss.

Discuss with reference to the poems of Wordsworth the role of childhood memory in shaping romantic imagination.

Bring out the mock-heroic elements in Pope's The Rape of the Lock.

Do you think the ending of A Doll's House is too radical to suit the taste of any sober society? Discuss.

Tennyson's poem In Memoriam is an elegy with philosophical reflections on the 19th century issues of science and religion. Discuss.

How does Milton Christianize the pagan epic norms in the first 26 lines of Paradise Lost, Book I? Explain.

What does the poet say about biological life-force in the poem?

Explain the imagery used in the poem.

Critically comment on the poet's sense of time and space.

as if long deep burial had made them hasty Who are 'them' referred to here? Why do you think they appear to be 'hasty'?

Comment on the poetic diction and the figurative language used in the poem.

In the guise of a travel narrative, Gulliver's Travels satirizes the English customs and politics of the day. Discuss with suitable illustrations from the novel.

Critically comment on the representation of the money and marriage theme in Pride and Prejudice.

How does the author of Tom Jones convey a sense of morality to 18th century English readers? Discuss.

Explain how the character of Huckleberry Finn underlines the relationship between White and Black culture in the USA.

The Mill on the Floss is a female crusade against the harsh constraints in which Victorian women suffered. Discuss.

Discuss the significance of the title of Dickens' novel Hard Times.

Comment on the narrative structure of Dickens' novel Hard Times.

Through the portrayal of Tess' character, Hardy presents a critique of the social and moral evils of Victorian England. Discuss.

Comment on the role of Master Blifil in Tom Jones.